Biomaterial Database

Progressive hearing loss following Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. 1985

E D Silkes, and J Chabot

Loss of hearing is a sequelae of meningitis. This hearing loss has been known to fluctuate for as long as one year following the acute infection. This paper presents a case of an 11-year documented downward fluctuating hearing loss following Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. The case indicates that patients should be followed audiologically for years following meningitis. A review of the literature of hearing loss in meningitis is presented with special emphasis on cases in which the hearing loss fluctuated. The cases in the literature were usually not followed for more than one year. In this case of acquired hearing loss secondary to Haemophilus influenzae meningitis, the patient's hearing fluctuated over 11 years, in a downward progression. It is not clear what type of mechanism is involved in the ongoing damage to the cochlea that could account for this gradual fluctuation. It is suggested that as the possibility of long-term fluctuation exists, patients with meningitis should be monitored audiologically for many years.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008583	Meningitis, Haemophilus	Infections of the nervous system caused by bacteria of the genus HAEMOPHILUS, and marked by prominent inflammation of the MENINGES. HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B is the most common causative organism. The condition primarily affects children under 6 years of age but may occur in adults.	Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis Type B,Hemophilus influenzae Meningitis Type B,Meningitis, Haemophilus influenzae Type F,Meningitis, Haemophilus parainfluenzae,Meningitis, Hemophilus,Meningitis, Hemophilus influenzae Type F,Meningitis, Hemophilus influenzae, Type B,Meninigitis, HiB,Type B Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis,Type B Hemophilus influenzae Meningitis,Haemophilus Meningitides,Haemophilus Meningitis,Haemophilus parainfluenzae Meningitides,Haemophilus parainfluenzae Meningitis,Hemophilus Meningitides,Hemophilus Meningitis,HiB Meninigitis,Meningitides, Haemophilus,Meningitides, Haemophilus parainfluenzae,Meningitides, Hemophilus
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260	Female		Females
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006319	Hearing Loss, Sensorineural	Hearing loss resulting from damage to the COCHLEA and the sensorineural elements which lie internally beyond the oval and round windows. These elements include the AUDITORY NERVE and its connections in the BRAINSTEM.	Deafness Neurosensory,Deafness, Neurosensory,Deafness, Sensoryneural,Neurosensory Deafness,Sensorineural Hearing Loss,Sensoryneural Deafness,Cochlear Hearing Loss,Hearing Loss, Cochlear,Deafnesses, Neurosensory,Deafnesses, Sensoryneural,Neurosensory Deafnesses,Sensoryneural Deafness,Sensoryneural Deafnesses
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001309	Auditory Threshold	The audibility limit of discriminating sound intensity and pitch.	Auditory Thresholds,Threshold, Auditory,Thresholds, Auditory